latest news

The population of Muslim students in this country is growing, which is adding to some demand for Muslim chaplains at schools. And the first endowed Muslim chaplain's position at a public institution started at the University of Michigan this semester. NPR's Beenish Ahmed reports on the challenges of that job.

BEENISH AHMED, BYLINE: The movie "Mooz-lum" follows a Muslim freshman as he negotiates a strict religious upbringing with the freedom of college life.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "MOOZ-LUM")

UNIDENTIFIED MAN: Come on man, drink it. What you got to lose?

AHMED: In a scene that might be found on virtually any college campus, Tariq Mahdi, the film's protagonist, drinks from that proverbial red plastic cup as his hallmates goad him on.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "MOOZ-LUM")

UNIDENTIFIED GROUP: Drink, drink, drink, drink...

AHMED: The transition to college life can be hard for Muslim students who often come from tight-knit immigrant communities centered around mosques. Keeping their faith can be a challenge since college life glorifies alcohol and premarital sex - forbidden by Islam.

CHAPLAIN MOHAMMED TAYYSIR SAFI: Muslims need to rely on somebody through times of hardship.

AHMED: At Michigan, Mohammed Tayysir Safi will be that somebody for an estimated 1,700 Muslim students. [POST-BROADCAST CORRECTION: A more accurate estimate is 850 Muslim students on the University of Michigan campus.]

He's now one of about only 30 Muslim chaplains at universities across the country. At a gathering of Muslim students at a Middle Eastern restaurant, Safi says...

SAFI: There's not a solid environment where a Muslim feels, perhaps, safe is the right word. Not from violence, but safe as in they feel safe and at home and being able to express themselves and who they are.

AHMED: Although he'll work with students, Safi's salary won't be paid by the university.

CHRIS ABDUR-RAHMAN BLAUVELT: The university is very supportive of the idea, but they can't lend even a penny towards the cause, because of separation of church and state.

AHMED: That's Chris Abdur-Rahman Blauvelt. He reached out to alumni and parents for donations and raised $30,000 in a matter of months. With enough money for a part-time salary, Safi was hired. He's now one of about 90 religious counselors on campus. They represent a long list of Christian groups, a number of Jewish ones, and a Hindu mission. Reid Hamilton heads Michigan's Association of Religious Counselors. He says it's about time Muslims were represented in a professional capacity.

REID HAMILTON: I think it's vital that they be part of the whole religious conversation here on campus.

AHMED: Until now, Muslims have found ways to meet religious needs on their own. They organize prayers in a mahogany-lined meeting room that serves as a makeshift mosque on Friday afternoons.

After slumping off book bags and slipping off shoes, the students settle into neat rows.

AHMED: But the service isn't being led by the chaplain. Instead, a sermon is delivered by 19-year-old Mohammad Omar Hadied, but not before he swaps a Michigan t-shirt for a long white tunic. He and other students take turns delivering Friday sermons.

HADIED: None of us are scholars, you know. I'm just a student that did some research. I don't know. I don't have all the answers.

AHMED: Helping students find the answers will be a part of Safi's job. He's there to be a counselor and advocate more than an imam. So students decided to continue leading services on their own. This way, the chaplaincy will be open to both genders, since Islam doesn't allow women to lead men in prayer. Regardless of gender, a chaplain needs to relate to students, which Safi says he'll have no problem doing.

SAFI: I do feel at home in Ann Arbor, not just because I was a student here, but because I grew up here. And I hope that I can serve that population.

AHMED: Students, like Gallal Obeid, are eager to meet with the chaplain.

GALLAL OBEID: I already have like a few questions.

AHMED: Safi says he's looking forward to talking to all students, not just Muslim ones.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio.